Practitioners in the disciplines of forensic science are frequently called upon to testify in court regarding the techniques, observations, and conclusions undertaken in their work. Often, these practitioners are requested to express opinions in their courtroom testimony, which is only possible if and when they are accepted by the court as expert witnesses. The goal of this course is to provide the students with the knowledge and practical experience necessary to successfully testify in a court of law as a forensic expert witness.
The first step in being accepted as a forensic expert witness is to survive the “voir dire.” Students will learn how to prepare themselves and the concerned attorney(s) for this important initial step. The course will continue by covering techniques the witness can employ to more effectively explain scientific evidence to the judge and jury. Concepts covered in the course will be reinforced by practical exercises in which the students will participate.
This course has been approved for 24 hours of certification/re-certification training credit by each of the following: the IAI Crime Scene Certification Board, the IAI Tenprint Fingerprint Certification Board, the IAI Forensic Art Certification Board, the IAI Forensic Video Certification Board, and the IAI Latent Print Certification Board.
